Princess V62-S: British Beauty

Leave it to the Brits to offer up a premium luxury sport yacht that looks handsomely buttoned up yet has the potential to let loose and power through open seas. This express-style cruiser, the newest addition to its line of performance-oriented yachts, replaces the company's popular V-62. Like its predecessor, it too shows a good deal of fussing over details, and it has a hearty helping of the English reserve that inspires the builder to create clean lines and steer clear of styling gimmicks and questionable trends.
The V-62S also has a number of new features that will draw the attention ...

GENERATION S: The “S” in V62-S stands for second generation, and Princess designed the boat to look and perform better than the original 62. The exterior styling benefits from several changes that serve to freshen the boat’s appearance. There’s a sportier engine air intake design with a stainless-steel insert, for instance, and a more aggressive wraparound raked windscreen.

IN COMMAND: From the helm station, the driver controls a standard pair of 1,015-hp Caterpillar C18 diesels that produce top speeds between 32 and 35 knots. If that’s not fast enough for you, power options include twin 1,150-hp Cats or 1,217-hp MTUs for speeds in the 35- to 37-knot range.

SEA BREEZE: The main deck features an enclosed salon with a large U-shaped seating area. Close up the space and crank up the heat for cruising off-season. In fine weather, open the electric sunroof and the doors facing the cockpit to bring the sun and fair winds in. On this new V-62S, the triple sliding doors have slimmer mullions to increase light and reduce weight.

HIGH STYLE: The salon also showcases several styling and detail enhancements. The cocktail bar, for instance, is finished with wave-style door fronts and an upholstered inlay on its top. The cabinetry conceals a refrigerator. Nearby, other cabinets hold an LED TV and entertainment system.

TAKE TWO: One of the nicest features aboard is what Princess calls the lower salon. Just steps down from the main deck, it encompasses a large dining table to starboard that can seat up to six. It’s just the type of informal space you’ll want to be in on those inclement days when the crew hunkers down inside with great food and a good game of cards.

HOME COOKING: The dinette in the lower salon is serviced by the fully equipped galley to port that incorporates good stowage and home-style appliances, including a full-size refrigerator, four-burner stove, dishwasher and combination microwave/conventional oven with grill. Countertops are covered in Avonite. The galley is large enough to be fitted with an optional washer/dryer.

ROOM WITH A VIEW: The lower deck received many styling improvements and now features a full-beam master stateroom with en suite head, double berth on centerline and a sofa to starboard. The dynamic features here are the new angled hull windows that are pillarless and have opening section, increasing natural light and enhancing the profile.

LIVING LARGE: Princess makes good use of the boat’s 16’5” beam in the master suite, incorporating luxury details such as this port-side cabinet with a built-in upholstered vanity unit. In this suite, owner’s will also find overhead and individual berth lights, a wardrobe locker, and all the shelves and cupboards necessary to stow belongings for long cruises.

FRIENDS WELCOME: In addition to the master, there are two guest cabins standard on the V62. A stateroom forward with a double berth has access to this private bath. Another cabin with twin berths is to starboard. There’s also an optional crew quarters in the stern. All of the accommodations are roomy and comfortable.

ALL SEASON USE: The V-62S’s accommodation plan provides a good view of the cockpit, which is larger than the one on the previous V62 and boasts deeper, more comfortable seats. Thanks to a new radar arch, the cockpit can now be fitted with an optional canopy to enclose the space and make it usable in all seasons.

Jeanne Craig has been covering powerboats since 1988. She spent ten years as a senior editor at Boating magazine and ten more as executive editor at Motor Boating. She’s now an independent writer based in Rowayton, Connecticut, where she’s close to the cruising grounds she most enjoys.